While the Jacksonville Jaguars have been relatively quiet in the first wave of free agency, they made it a priority to keep cornerback Montaric Brown. This is why it wasn't surprising to see them strike a deal just before the legal tampering period began, effectively taking him off the market.
It was reported that Brown's contract was for three years and was worth $33 million. Just a couple days later, the details have surfaced and made the deal look even better.
The Jaguars signed Montaric Brown to an affordable deal
Michael Guttinni of Spotrac shared the details of Montaric Brown's contract, noting that the total value is $31.8 million with $20.65 million in guarantees. He also broke down the cap hits as follows:
- 2026: $3.9 M
- 2027: $11.95 M
- 2028: $11.5 M
- 2029: $4.4 M (void)
Brown's cap hit in 2026 gives the Jaguars plenty of flexibility to make other moves. So far, they're just one of three teams, along with the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, that have yet to add an external free agent, as of this writing. The Philadelphia Eagles were also part of the list before they signed cornerback Riq Woolen.
Before the Jaguars re-signed Brown, he was expected to garner plenty of interest if he had become available. The Philadelphia Eagles were among the teams that were reportedly ready to target him.
In the end, Brown chose to stay with the Jaguars. He met with the local media and talked about his extension, calling it surreal.
Montaric Brown speaks to the media. #DUUUVAL https://t.co/oxQ5eAnQj7
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) March 9, 2026
A seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft, Brown was a reserve early in his stint with the Jags but was thrust into action once the injury bug struck. In 2024, he replaced Ronald Darby in the starting lineup to finish the year, but he didn't truly put it all together until Anthony Campanile became the defensive coordinator.
With Campanile taking the reins, Brown went on to have a banner season in 2025, registering two picks and 12 passes defensed, while giving up a 54.4 percent completion rate. Now, the former Arkansas Razorback will get to build off his success from last year. Heck, there's a chance he'll be even better with Mathieu Araujo becoming the secondary coach.
Why it made sense for the Jaguars to re-sign Montaric Brown
If the Jaguars had let Montaric Brown walk, cornerback would've become a huge need for them. Sure, they could've also tried to retain Greg Newsome, but he wasn't nearly as productive last year.
With Brown in the fold, Jacksonville can now turn its attention to the interior defensive line and the pass rusher. Both appear to be the team's top needs right now, and general manager James Gladstone can address them in the draft.
The Jags could also look for a replacement for linebacker Devin Lloyd, who signed with the Carolina Panthers, or a backfield partner for running back Bhayshul Tuten after Travis Etienne bolted for the New Orleans Saints.
Either way, locking up Montaric Brown at an affordable rate gives the Jaguars ample flexibility to continue to address the larger scale roster.